Circular refrigerator with pivoted rotatable shelves



Jan. 4, 1949. J. E. RAMsEY 2,457,919

CIRCULAR REFRIGERATOR WITH PIvoTED ROTATABLE sHELvEs Filed Feb. 7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lo Z3 26 INVENTOR. J'Ars E. RAMSEY.

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Jan. 4, 1949. J, E, RAMSEY 2,457,919

CIRCULAR REFRIGERATOR WITH PIVOTED ROTTABLE SHELVES Filed Feb. '7, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figf.

nfvVENTVoR. TAMES E RAMSEY. V

Patented Jan. 4, 1949 CIRCULAR REFRIGERATOR WITH PIVOTED l# BOTATABLE SHELVES A James Eaton Ramsey. Houston, Tex, Application February 7, 1944, Serial No. 521,294 schim.. (ci. sz-ssi' The invention relates to a refrigerator con.-`

is wasted on the rear portions of the shelves be-l cause it is readily inaccessible. With these difficulties .in mind the present refrigerator has been devised wherein every portion of the shelves is readily accessible and the maximum of space is made available when the .configuration of the refrigerator is considered.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a circular refrigerator having circular rotatable shelves which can be pivoted outwardly from the refrigerator to make all portions thereof accessible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular refrigerator with a pivoted rotatable shelf.

Another object of the invention is to support a plurality of rotatable shelves in a refrigerator from one side of the refrigerator housing so that the shelves may be independently or collectively pivoted outwardly in order to have access to every portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular refrigerator with an arcuate door so as to completely enclose circular shelf constructions.

Another object of the invention is to rotatably support a Vcircular shelf in a refrigerator by means of an extended pivoted arm from the side in order to make the maximum space available for storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotatable crisping container for refrigerators.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the combination of a freezing chamber hav ing food freezing containers adjacent each side thereof and with sliding door constructions to close the food containers.. y

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the arrangement of the Fiss. 2 and 3 are sections taken on the line 2-2 and 2-3 respectively of Fig. 1 and illustrating the arrangement of the various parts of the refrigerator.

In Fig. 1 the refrigerator 2 may be of any heighth or diameter, but ispreferably in the form of a circular housing having the outer sheath I of metal and the inner liner 4 between which the insulating material 5 will be confined. 'The power and compression equipment can be contained in the base B of the housing while the storage compartment 1 occupies the larger portion of the inside of the housing.

As seen in Fig. 2 the inside of the housing is arranged with a recess or depression Ill and a support column or shaft II is suitably mounted in this recess in a vertical position as clearly seen in Fig. 1. This shaft or rod may have a plurality of adjustable` collars I2 thereon which can be set or released by the thumb screws I3. Each one of these collars serves as a supportfor the hub Il of an arm Ib so that such arm may pivot or turn in a horizontal plane about the shaft II. Each one of these arms has a support bearing I8 at its end which is arranged to receive the stub shaft I'I formed on a circular shelf I8. In this manner the shelf can be moved into the position inside of the refrigerator as indicated by the shelf 20. in Fig. 2, or by pivoting the arm Il the shelf may be moved outwardly to the position of the shelf 2| in Fig. 2. It seems obvious that by turning of the shelf I8 access may be had to every portion thereof so as to bring vacant space to the front to deposit articles thereon or to withdraw an article which is at the back of the shelf by turning the shelf in order to readily reach such article.

Any desired number of these arms IB may be provided and it seems obvious that the collars I2 can be adjusted to obtain the desired space between them for articles having different heights.

The lowermost arm 2B may support a crisping container 26 which Isin the form of a circular .pan which will be substantially dosed by the shelf 21 directly above it when the crisper and the shelf are both in normal position and the refrigerator closed. When access is desired the crisper may be tilted outwardly to the position of the shelf 2| in Fig. 2. the top will be uncovered because the crisper moves out from underneath the shelf 21. One or more suitable recesses 28 can be formed in the upper edge of the crisper to permit it to pass the bearing portion I6 on the arm above it. A

'I'he refrigerator door 30 is best seen in open position in 2 and is made up of a section or segment f the circularhousing which is in the form of an arcuate portion hinged at 8| and carrying a latch 32.. When the door closes it will completely confinel the shelves and when it is4 open it will permit pivoting of the shelves to the position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 shows the freezing section 49 in which any number of ice cube trays 4i may be deposited. This section is shown as rectangular in plan view. having side walls 43 and being disposed centrally of the refrigerator relative to the door so that it leaves a segmental area 42 at each side thereof which can be used for freezing foods and may be designated as a food freezing chamber or container. In order to obtain a minimum temperature in these chambers an arcuate slidv ing door or closure 44 is arranged to be moved to the position of Fig. 3 to close these chambers. Such closures are movable in the guide tracks 45 extending around inside of the refrigerator. The circulation pipes 48 extending to the freezing unit from the mechanism in the base are shown as passing upwardly in the insulating material. A door 41 may be used to close the freezing section. Y

It will be noted that there is sufficient clearance as at 59 between the shelves and the interior lining 4 of the refrigerator to permit circulation of the air to all parts of the inside 1 of the refrigerator.

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator including a circular housing having a door portion hinged to swing outwardly and curved to conform to the housing. an upstanding support member disposed substantially upon the circular inside wall of the housing, a plurality of swingable arms vertically adjustable up and down on said support, and rotatable shelves on said arms whereby access may be had to every portion of each shelf.

2. A circular refrigerator, circular shelves therein, a pivoted arm supporting each shelf, said arms being pivoted adjacent the wall to swing out of the refrigerator. and freezing and ice compartments above said shelves, said freezing compartment having an arcuate sliding closure.

3. In a refrigerator a vertical support rod havthe refrigerator cabinet, a collar adjustable along said rod, an armA pivoted on the rod and supported by said collar, and a shelf rotatably mounted on said arm whereby all the area of said shelf may be made accessible by pivoting rotating the shelf.

4. In a circular refrigerator a rectangular ice unit, a focd freezing compartment at each side thereof formed. by upper and lower walls, the arcuate inner shell of the refrigerator compartment and the side walls of said ice unit, and a curved sliding closure for each of said compartments.

5. In a circular refrigerator havinga circular interior, a rectangular ice unit having the forward edges of the sides thereof lying substantially upon the cylindrical surface defined by the interior wall of the refrigerator, a food freezing `compartment of extending sidewardly from at least one of such'edges, said compartment having its outer wall formed by the curved inner wall of the refrigerator compartment and a curved sliding door for said compartment. JAMES EATON RAMSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name, Date Hess Feb. 19, 1889 Miller Jan. 2, 1900 FOREIGN PATENTS Country VDate Germany June 14, 1918 Number Number md 8.1111 and' 

